When North Korea launches a missile over Japan, some locals are advised to seek shelter.

The missile, the first launched from North Korea since 2017, flew over or past Japan, according to the Japanese government, which said it was not destroyed by any defensive measures.

Tuesday saw North Korea launch a ballistic missile over Japan for the first time in five years, which led to a warning for residents to seek shelter and a brief suspension of rail service in northern Japan.

The missile test, which was fired over North Korea’s east coast, was reported on by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea and the Japanese coast guard.
The Japanese government issued a warning to its citizens to seek cover after determining that the missile appeared to have flown over and through Japanese territory before crashing into the Pacific.

It was reported that the missile, which was the first fired from North Korea since 2017 to pass over or through Japan, was destroyed without the use of any defense mechanisms.

Hirokazu Matsuno, the chief government spokesperson for Japan, said during a brief news conference that North Korea’s activities, especially its repeated ballistic missile tests, pose a serious threat to the safety and security of Japan, the surrounding area, and the global community.

Shortly after, at a press conference, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called North Korea’s actions “barbaric” and said that the government would keep gathering and analyzing evidence.

The JCS of South Korea determined that it seemed to be an IRBM fired from North Korea’s Jagang Province. From there, North Korea has recently performed several tests, including the firing of many missiles it dubbed “hypersonic.”

3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles) from Japan, according to TV Asahi, citing an unnamed government source, North Korea may have fired an ICBM that fell into the ocean.

The most recent launch was Pyongyang’s fifth in ten days, and it occurred last week, during trilateral anti-submarine drills involving the fleets of the US, South Korea, and Japan.
On Saturday, South Korea celebrated its Armed Forces Day by putting on a show of cutting-edge weapons, including several rocket launchers, ballistic missiles, main battle tanks, drones, and F-35 aircraft.

According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, East Japan Railway Co. paused its train operation in the northern regions as a result of the test.
The North has completed its nuclear test preparations, according to South Korean lawmakers last week, and may do it between the Communist Party Congress in China this month and the midterm elections in the United States in November.